Seal of Angels
by onewing
Summary: Something is wrong. Riku is hearing voices. Things just might not be over yet, but he doesn't want to involve Sora again. Sora/Riku, Sephiroth/Kuja, AU


Disclaimer: Don't own it. Try looking up Square Enix and Disney.

Notes: I wasn't completly happy with the orginal opening for this, so I decided to scrap it in favor of a new one. Sorry to those that faved and put it on alert. Also, as always, this is pure boy's love, Sora/Riku, Riku/Sora, and Sephiroth/Kuja. Likely more pairings as it goes on.

_Italics_ are voices in the mind.

* * *

Seal of Angels

The sun was warm on his back as he lay there, basking in it. Deep greenish blue eyes were closed against the brightness as he dozed lightly, waiting for his best friend to arrive. Today was another lazy day, far removed from the darkness, from fighting, from everything that had made up their lives for two years. It was a good day, for laying around, for taking time to do nothing. At one time, he might have bulked at it, wanting to run, to play, to fight. Time had tempered that impulse.

Time and age. He was seventeen now, though he felt much older, far too old on some days. Especially around their other friends, who were so blissfully unaware of the darkness that had come, of what they had been through to fight it…

Fitting back in…had taken time, had taken the knowledge to curb his tongue, and what remained of his ill used temper. There had been times when he'd just skipped class, the normality of it all getting to him, burning at him.

It all seemed so different, after coming back from the other side of the door. This was his old life, and yet…

He kept thinking there was more, that there was something that he had missed. Somewhere, somehow, something was itching in the back of his mind, whispering that he'd forgotten something in this mess, had lost it a long time ago.

That their fight wasn't finished yet, for that very reason.

_Riku_…

Static seemed to fill his head briefly, suddenly, disrupting his thoughts.

Frowning, he shifted, opening his eyes. No one there…

_Riku_…

Static again, he could almost see it. Like the snow on a screen. It wasn't…wasn't him.. He hadn't felt him in a long time. There was no darkness in this. Though, it wasn't all light….

_Riku, please…_

The static sensation was getting worse, almost painful as it filled his very mind.

_Riku…_

"Riku? Riku, what's wrong?"

The static was gone.

He opened his eyes, as he rolled onto his back, to blink up at bright blue eyes looking down at him. Sora was knelt over him, looking worried. He must have been the one to call him out of it…

He didn't want to worry him…

"Sorry, Sora. I'm fine," he assured.

"Are you sure?" Riku now realized he was obviously too late to stop the worry.

"It took you a while to wake up…" Sora continued, those blue eyes darkening with his concern.

"Probably was having a good dream," he shrugged before yawning as he sat up. No need to tell him about odd visions, especially when he didn't know what that was all about himself.

Sora didn't seem to believe him. He had gotten too good at reading him lately, but he'd come to accept it. Sora was the stronger now, the wiser, the braver. He was the Hero after all, the Chosen. Small lies couldn't hope to hide from such Light and Truth.

"You looked like it was a nightmare…. Sweating and muttering." Sora drew closer, one hand touching his shoulder.

"What was I saying?" it was best to sound bored, to brush it off so Sora did. A possible useless cause, but he had to try.

"Mostly I couldn't hear," an almost pout, "But you did keep repeating the word no…."

"A nightmare then. I get them sometimes," that wasn't a complete lie.

Who wouldn't have nightmares after being swallowed by the darkness? After being trapped for a near year in an enemy's skin?

Sora bit his lip, sympathy sparking at the mention, and that hand squeezed at his shoulder, "I'm right here if you want to talk. You don't have to bear things alone anymore, Riku."

That brought a smile to his lips, even if vague. He might have touched the hand resting on his shoulder, but the mood was somber enough, and even if he was used to the Hero Sora was, he wasn't used to the adult. So instead, he reached over to ruffle his hair, "I know," and with that he was up, "Coming, Sora? Kairi is going to think we're being lazy again if we keep her waiting."

Sora pouted at that, springing up after him, "I wasn't the one taking a nap in the sun."

Riku smirked, "Well, we'll see who she believes. Probably whoever gets to her first," the challenge was clear, as he set off running, listening to Sora as he yelled after him to wait while trying to catch up.

That weird vision…. He had no idea what it meant.

But he wasn't about to get his friends involved in anything again. They deserved peace at least.

Even if he never did, at least in his own soul.


End file.
